La Cucina Italian Eatery

I read great reviews so was expecting something special —very disappointed!
Here i spent almost $ 40 for pasta with meatballs and Caesar salad topped with some meat.
Sauce tasted watered down — have had better sauce from a store bought jar.
The meatballs were very good.
The standard bread tasted like stale white flour — no flavor.
Caesar salad was blah — romaine lettuce with 1 thin slice of tomato, croutons and very small sprinkling of grated cheese, not much salad dressing and not much flavor.
Very disappointing and expensive for what it was. Sorry!

Yet another wonderful dining experience. I love this place so much, i am not embarrassed to bring family here. I usually end up here after snowboarding, and it is an absolutely wonderful way to end the day.
I love the cheese plate and the baked rigatoni. However, I have almost made my way through the entire menu and I do not have a complaint. Even better, they actually give me the wine I order. Always a plus.
Service here is amazing. I may show up to eat in my snowboard pants, but I have never been rejected or treated differently.
When I go with family, we always have an enjoyable experience. We stay for desert and espresso. Worth every penny spent for an enjoyable dining experience.

I’m Italian and for those people who think they NO food. You need to go to La Cucina It’s about the only place in town!!! That I Will go to. The sauce is very good almost as good as mine and mine is from my grandmother my great-​grandmother e and my great great great great grandmother pizza not too bad but the ravioli the lasagna even the cannoli is really good the Carrano’s need to go eat at your place

Delicious. I had been driving for 10 hours and wanted a decent dinner before crashing for the night. Excellent service. The shrimp scampi was perfect buttery, garlic goodness with the right pasta and white wine sauce. Server Joy was terrific. Great non-​casino dining in Reno.

What a waste of money!!! Italian food is my favorite of all times… I have had many Italian dishes domestically and overseas. Craving for Italian food, this place has a 4 star rating… really??decided to go check it out… OMG…the food was terrible.
We ordered their «Rustica» pizza, minestrone soup and calamari Caesar salad. We expected the pizza crust to be crispy and crunchy, it was anything but. The pizza was soggy and the dough was soft and chewy (not use to soft and chew pizza crust) the soup was salty and the Caesar salad could use more seasoning. We were so disappointed.

Service is great the food is really good and I like their wine which was at a reasonable price, tried a new dessert that I liked. All together a great place for fine and affordable dinning. I’ll be back for sure!

We hosted our Christmas Party here last night! We initially set everything up with the assistant manager, Amber. She was fantastic in answering all of our questions and sharing all the different options, all while serving other guests on a busy lunch shift. When we arrived for our party they had accidentally provided our table with the wrong menus but were quick to remove them and replace with the correct menu. The food is fantastic, the service was incredible! We had a total of 18 guests and not a single persons mouth ran dry and every plate was cleaned from the table instantly upon completing each course. We also brought our own alcohol which they served and put on ice for us, for a per bottle cork fee. They provided tables for our White Elephant gift exchange and we had our own side of the restaurant to ourselves which was fantastic!
Thank you La Cucina management and staff for a memorable Christmas Gathering!

I just left LA cucina on lakeside and moana Lane still hungry. I waited patiently for 20 minutes for service but none of the wait staff bothered to attend to my needs. They were not busy at all and actually chatted with other customers while I was patiently waiting. Terrible experience. This was recommended to me by the hotel staff so they will know how bad my experience was tonight so they won’t recommend to other hotel guests.

Tried this place for a second time because our dentist is just down the street, and we’re a fan of Johnny’s Little Italy, and they run this place, too.
Got there just as the lunch rush was winding down, and it was still hopping. There was only one server for the entire place, and she was hopping, too. She managed to take care of us quickly and efficiently, which we always appreciate. I ordered one of my favorites, the Chicken Parmesan, while my husband ordered the Blackened Rib Eye Sandwich. We also ordered an appetizer of Johnny’s Garlic Bread, but forgot until after we put in our order, so it didn’t come until about ¾ the way through our meal. No worries, it was our fault, and it made an excellent dessert.
My chicken was perfect, crunchy on the outside, and moist and tender on the inside. It came with a side of spaghetti with garlic and oil, which was also perfectly al dente, not too oily, and a nice side to the chicken, light and not too heavy. I loved my dish, and it was a perfect choice for lunch. I could only finish about half of the chicken, it was a huge piece!
My husband’s sandwich wasn’t as successful. The flavor of the rib eye was excellent, and it came with a house salad that he wolfed right down. However, the sandwich was grilled on a panini press, and it hadn’t been grilled quite enough, so it was kind of «gooey,» as he put it, and it had too much oil on it, so it wasn’t crispy, which only added to the gooeyness. He liked it ok, but not enough to order it again. He said he’d try the shrimp scampi or one of the salads next time.
I’d order my chicken again in a heartbeat, and the garlic bread is always to die for, so we’d come back for sure, just not for a panini. The space itself is very nice and inviting, I loved the lamps with the little jewelry-​like touches, and the patio would be lovely on a fall or spring day.

Would go more like 3 ½ stars. The atmosphere on the patio could be nice, as long as your further in rather than right on the parking lot and the chairs are pretty uncomfortable. We opted for inside, a bit stark and we were seated in the middle of a mostly empty dining room, rookie move on the staffs part, but didn’t both asking for something a little more private. Prompt service by Joy, not overly friendly but efficient. The salads, the house and the Caesar were both quite good and fresh tasting. Focaccia bread good and the dipping oil makes it. The spaghetti Bolognese was good, traditional tasting meatballs and homemade flavor, the meat sauce was just a bit thin on the tomato flavor for my liking. Wine list was well priced with a nice assortment. Definitely will visit again when in Reno.

Great salads! This my second time here. I had the Feldman salad the first time. It was definitely a dinner size salad and covered the whole big plate.
This time I was trying to stay on my cleanse. The waitress and chef put up with substituting the dressing with lemon wedges and olive oil and leaving out the cheese and olives. My husband loved the Antipasti salad. He said it was like a pizza salad.
All was well with the cleanse until she offered dessert OMG! She brought out the brownies and they were so tall and moist they jiggled on the plate. The frosting was shimmering. And there were two of them, enough to share. I couldn’t resist. It was definitely worth the splurge. This was a wonderful lunch!

Ate here for lunch today on a whim after being at the vet office next-​door, wonderful menu, wonderful staff, sat on the patio with my puppy dogs, they brought water to even them countless times. Looks elegant, and relaxed. Is just that. Food literally came out in 5 minutes after ordering and having been a server, that’s impressive. My food was wonderful and for 25 $, it was a much needed and delicious lunch! Thanks for restoring my faith in customer service guys! I’ll be back!

Food & service was perfect. Our server, Joy, was delightful, personable, & very efficient. My Veal Piccata was tender, perfectly seasoned & delicious, their house made bread is totally addicting and we were offered as much as we wanted. All eight people in our party raved about their food, Blackened Salmon salad, Chicken Piccata, Veal Sorrento, Eggplant Panini, Veggie Lasagna, all licked their plates clean. We tried desserts, fantastic cannoli, strawberry sorbet, Affogato & Lemoncello gelato, all house made, all amazing. We all agreed this was the best Italian food we’ve tasted in Reno & will definitely make it an annual stop when we’re back next year for the balloon races or sooner if our travels bring us back this way before then.
This restaurant is beautifully appointed, quiet & a neighborhood jewel.

The best meal balls EVER!!! It is the simplest of dishes and can be screwed up so easily, and they do it more then right! Even better as left overs!
The service there is always amazing!
I love that they give you warm bread, with oil and balsamic! It’s endless magic in my mouth!

Clean. Very friendly staff. The Cashill Salad with Blackened Chicken was delicious. The Hot Sausage Potato soup was luscious, but… the cake… oh my gosh… it was THEE BEST Coconut Wedding Cake. EVER!
We’ll DEFINITELY come back to try other menu items.

This was my first experience here. This place seemed elegant and nice. When walking in for lunch there were many tables.
The food came out in a timely manner and the food portions were decent sizes. The staff was friendly and nice.
I gave this place a three star for a few reasons. The first one was our waitress was busy with two other tables that another person came over to help us. This person seemed like she was suppose to be at the bar. But either way we were helped. The second reason is the food was okay. It wasn’t a wow factor I was looking for in a restaurant that looked like that.
I feel I may have offered the wrong thing at the wrong time. My husband had a different plate of food that was much better then mine!
I will try this place again in the future.

This place is great we definitely have to try the fried cheese! That is my most favorite dish and the fresh blue cheese stuffed at dirty martini! My favorite Tiffany always does an amazing job offering choices and amazing options! Be sure to ask for her directly! And by the way if you order a garden salad with smoked salmon it’s about $ 10 for an amazing plate of food! I recommend this place 1000 times over!

Nice environment, friendly staff, and good food. I had the porcini truffle ravioli with a chardonnay. Our table ordered the bruschettana, as well as the sauteed provolone appetizers; all very good.
I ordered the Tad Dunbar sandwich and the minestrone soup to go for a friend who wasn’t feeling well. I tried the Tad, and wasn’t wild about it, as it was kind of dry. Also I cashed in a free cannoli coupon through Unilocal which they weren’t sure about, but after checking they honored which was tasty.
We had a party of 7, all on separate checks, and they were totally cool about it. Everything I had came to $ 50.00 with the tip. My friend paid for the appetizers.

Growing up my Nana and Papa would always take me for Italian food. Papa would always say «Make sure and wear a red shirt when you go out for anything Italian. That way you won’t have to go home and change before dessert!»
Needless to say I have some really fond memories of these meals, and Nunzio’s (
), Gigi’s (
), and Mario the Baker (
) will always have a special place in my heart.
There’s something comforting about dishes doused in garlicky red sauce, rimmed with parsley and smothered in ooey gooey cheese, served piping hot. It’s all about the Italian American favorites like chicken parm, eggplant rollatini, baked ziti, and others. I love it, but as an adult it’s a cuisine that doesn’t hit the radar all that often.
On a rainy night last week, I set out to find dinner. Originally I had planned on wings, but suddenly I had this overwhelming urge for chicken parm, so I Unilocaled nearby and found La Cucina. The restaurant is cute, with a really nice bar, low tables and chairs, and a cozy atmosphere. I could see a date night here. I grabbed a seat at the bar and made small talk with the bartender asking about specials and her favorite menu item. She recommended the special, Chicken Menzel, and the Baked Rigatoni, one of the items I’d seen and thought about.
PRO TIP: If the server confidently recommends a dish, go with their recommendation. The ones that hesitate are the ones that don’t know.
Well, I went with the chicken parm and can’t say I was thrilled with my decision. It was fine, but I don’t think it was worth $ 16. The chicken breast was coated in fine breadcrumbs, topped with a thin layer of marinara and melted cheese, and served with some sauteed green beans (not mentioned on the menu) and a fist full of «spaghetti with oil and garlic».
Initially I might’ve been more excited by the spaghetti side than the main dish. Good pasta with oil and garlic, is magical when done right. Imagine thin slivers of garlic, fried up to a crunch in olive oil, and then all of it is tossed into the pasta. Mmmmmm. Well that’s not what they serve here. This was minced garlic, herbs, and a lot of oil, tossed with some spaghetti, which I think was angel hair. I used the excess oil to season up the green beans!
Overall, my experience at La Cucina was a bit underwhelming, but I will say that it looks like a great place for lunch. The sandwiches sound addicting, and I noticed Mayor Cashell eating one, and the bread looks phenomenal too! I’ll be back in due time for sure.

My daughter asked if we could go to La Cucina this evening because she likes their cheese ravioli and it sounded good for dinner.
While we briefly «Waited to be Seated», a server let us know that we could sit anywhere in the restaurant. Since it was a nice evening, we opted to sit outside on their patio. The paver patio was the base of this outdoor seating, decked with real trees decorated with large clear light bulbs that provided a nice ambiance. There were a handful of round tables, some with padded rocking chairs and others with comfortable patio chairs. Outdoor speakers provided jazz music that added to the atmosphere. The outdoor seating seems to be its own slice of paradise and I would highly recommend it.
Our server, Josh, was professional and personable. He told us about the dinner feature, the sausage ragout with angel hair pasta, marinara sauce, mushrooms and green peppers, as well as the soups of the day. He brought us water and a small plate beautifully decorated with lemon slices and took our order. The food came out within a reasonable amount of time, looked and tasted wonderful, and was the perfect temp. Josh refilled my water in a timely manner, but seemed to forget that my hubby requested a refill, though it was when our dessert arrived.
The dinner feature sounded fabulous, minus the mushrooms because I just can’t get past the flavor and texture of them. Every dish is made fresh to order here, so it was very easy for them to accommodate my pickyness, and make the dish to my liking. What tends to keep me away from Italian restaurants is the amount of salt they will put in their foods, but this dish seemed perfectly made. I could taste the flavors of the sausage as well as the herbs in the marinara sauce and the diced green peppers. Usually, I will try to mask the sodium with crushed red chili peppers, but all that I asked for was a hint of fresh ground pepper. It was one of the best Italian dishes I have had in a long time.
My daughter once again enjoyed her kids’ cheese ravioli in marinara sauce. And my man devoured his Tuscan bean soup bowl, one of the soups of the day, and his house salad. I sampled a bite of the soup, and it was Mama Mia-​mazing!
La Cucina offers «1 free Cannoli with purchase» when you check in. Who can resist free dessert? Not I, says this sweet tooth burdened gal. And after perusing the dessert menu, we decided to share the Verona Brownie, which comes with a choice of gelato. I thought we had asked for the Stracciatelli gelato, but it seems Josh heard my husband say «pistachio». The cannoli was tasty, but it’s just not a dessert I prefer. As a chocolate lover, the brownie’s thick ganache topping hit the spot. The pistachio gelato was pretty good, just not the flavor I really wanted. It was cool to read on the dessert menu that they make their gelato on site daily. And I look forward to coming back and trying another flavor.
I hope we get another perfectly warm, not too breezy evening when I’m craving a little taste of Italy, and we return to the patio at La Cucina.